Kathryn Rollins Debut EP 'Reckless' / East Coast Launch Dates

The release, out through ABC Music/Universal and Dirt Diamonds Productions features four soulful and seductive tracks that will draw you in and surround you with their beauty.

From a young age, Kathryn was trained by her father in jazz harmony & guitar while raised on a healthy diet of old jazz and blues classics. This led her to pen lyrically imaginative songs that are raw and honest, beyond her 21 years.

The first songs from Kathryn’s Reckless EP,Who Shot the Bird Down? and title track Reckless have been received with much admiration and critical acclaim, drawing comparisons to Grace Woodroofe, Lykke Li and Feist.

Who Shot the Bird Down? will appear in the forthcoming Australian series, Wentworth - the highly anticipated re-imagining of the well-known 1980’s Australian television drama ‘Prisoner’, which will air on Channel 10 from May 2013.

Reckless is currently Single of the Week on iTunes and has received a whopping 37,000 + downloads.

“Lyrically deep and with quite the emotional tinge to the vocals, the lightness of the backing instrumentation creates a strange atmosphere to the track. On the one hand you’re drawn into this heavy story, yet the light drum patterns and jazz infused swagger give ‘Reckless’ a real element of coolness.” - aussieplaylist.com

Kathryn’s Reckless EP sees musician and fellow West Australian, Kav Temperley (Eskimo Joe, Basement Birds) step into the Producer’s seat, with the creative duo spending many hours experimenting with different production styles and arrangements to find the right sound.

The EP was recorded at The Wasteland in Fremantle with the exception of 'Cold Water' which was recorded at the beautiful Fremantle Arts Centre. All tracks were mixed by Dave Parkin (Snowman/Jebediah/The Ghost Hotel) at Blackbird Studios.

“Her music sits somewhere between PJ Harvey and Feist – two of our all-time faves, and her lyrics drip with love” – Erin Moy (Groupie)

Likened to artists such as Cat Power, Laura Marling, Grace Woodroofe and Feist, Kathryn captivates the audience with her mesmerising voice and intimate acoustic performances.Be sure to catch her live at one of the following EP launch dates!

This song is a theatrical expression of the realisation that within each of us is the ability to push through painful and uncomfortable experiences.. I love the contrast between the introspective and vulnerable verses recounting the past in a quiet and restrained fashion and the bursting realisation of courage being a way forward in the choruses. I wrote this song to specifically remind myself of this inner courage I have inside.

Who Shot The Bird Down?

The most contrasted song on the record, Who Shot The Bird Down? takes the contrast expressed in Courage and makes it even more intense. The verses represent the vulnerable and sweet character in the song longing to connect with the ‘bird’. The choruses bust out in a electrified jam and the lyrics are filled with outrage and anger at the death of the ‘bird’. It’s a song about wanting to protect the vulnerable parts of ourselves and others.

Reckless

This is the oldest song on the record that I wrote when I was 18 or 19 years old. For me it epitomises that period of your life as a teenage girl where you inevitably struggle with self-doubt, self-control and a lack of confidence. The character in the story is obsessed with someone and sure of her love for them, but is also aware of how damaging her actions can be when she’s overwhelmed by emotion. I love the groove in Reckless as it drives the song forward and creates a sensual movement throughout.

Cold Water

This song was recorded at the Fremantle Arts Centre in WA in a room that has a lot of natural reverb. We recorded the vocals and guitar there and sampled the sound of the room to use in the mix later. We also got in a group of three of my female friends to sing the backing vocals and add that last subtle piece to the puzzle. The result is a beautiful, stripped back song about being vulnerable and acknowledging a need for other people and the comfort they offer you.